New Delhi, November 30 2018: ‘Is India Being Redefined?’ This was the topic of an interactive session in Delhi which saw several top Congress Leaders including P. Chidambaram, Former Finance Minister & MP, Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, MP and Senior Congress Leader, Kapil Sibal, MP & Former Minister of Law and Justice of India, Sushmita Dev, MP & President – India Mahila Congress, Salman Khurshid, Former Union Minister and Senior Advocate, Supreme Court, and Manish Tewari, Former Union Minister National Spokesperson Congress Party participating and expressing their views on the issue on one stage

Organized and moderated by Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Chairman All India Professionals’ Congress (AIPC) on Friday at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi the interactive session brought together several eminent leaders from economy, politics, social activism, literature, international affairs, and law & order to share their views on the current political scenario in the country.

While addressing the gathering, former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said, “The ripple effects of the badly implemented twin blunders of demonetisation and GST, implemented hastily by BJP has affected the small & medium enterprises, farmers and other businesses.”

He further said, “India’s strength lies in its unity in diversity, a rich and loving culture, an openness to ideas, respect for one and all. India stands for unity, brotherhood, justice, liberty and equality.”

Expressing his views on the increased attack at propagating intolerance in the country, Senior Congress leader Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, “The operational reality of the current ruling party and their moral indignation is terribly affecting the secularism, equality and fraternity, the founding pillars of our nation.” India seems to be surrounded by a toxic wave of regressive and backward policies.

Through this event, Dr. Shashi Tharoor has tried to kill several birds in one stone. At one hand, it was an attempt to highlight the current critical situation in the country and also to motivate the professionals and other voters to fight their battle and on other hands, he also tried to motivate the senior leaders of the Congress Party to be prepared for the next parliamentary elections. Also, by successfully organizing this event, Dr. Tharoor has very effectively tried to bring himself in the centre stage of the Congress Party.

What’s more, there is an attempt to erode our institutions, control the media, and divert the attention from the issues that matter while spending Indian people’s money into wasteful expenditure.”

Speaking about the subversion, Former Union Minister Kapil Sibal said, “The BJP government has been intruding in the functioning of the autonomous institutions since 2014 for their political agenda. This subversion has resulted in many of these institutions breaking down or their independence being questioned.”

He also added that, “The current RBI board consists of favourite businessmen and political bureaucrats. There are hardly any experts.” There seems to be a systematic attempt to move India from secularism to communalism, democratic culture to dictatorial practices, from openness to ideas and respect for all to selective discrimination amongst Indians themselves.

Dr. Shashi Tharoor while moderating questioned, “If the Modi led government is working to change the idea of an inclusive India that was built upon since independence.” When questioned about the resilience of India, Manish Tewari said, “India is far too resilient to be subverted despite the multiple attempts by the ruling party.”

The leaders at Congress are hopeful of re-building India with its true essence. With the interactive session, AIPC aimed at reaching out to people and understand their feelings after hearing them out. Senior Congress leader, Salman Soz said the world is having a totally different conversation than what is happening in India. "The world is talking about the fourth industrial revolution, automation and jobs for the youth, besides climate change and its impact on humanity, while in India the discourse is totally different and attempts are being made that one fights with the other," he added. ‘

Dr Ameeta Sinh, who is one of the organisers of the session also the regional coordinator at AIPC, claimed that there was a systematic attempt to move India from a democratic culture to dictatorial practices, from openness to ideas to clamping down on debate, and from pluralism and togetherness to polarisation and divisiveness.

Senior Advocate, Supreme Court, Salman Khurshid said, “India has been around for a long time and it has been built over years and not just in last four years as claimed by Modi government.” Women being the pillars if any economy, it becomes vital to safeguard their rights.

Sushmita Dev, President – All India Mahila Congress, spoke while interacting that, “Modi government doesn’t practice what they preach.

The reduction in gender budget and lack of policies that aim at safeguarding women and empowering them speaks volume about their interests.”

Yogesh Sachdeva, working President of AIPC Delhi State summed up the session by extending his vote of thanks to the esteemed panelists, distinguished guests and audience. He said AIPC aims at bridging the gap between the leadership and the citizens by creating a transparent governance system.

The session centered on the current socio-political environment and the current administration’s attempt at eroding the foundation of the nation and ‘redefine India’ by pushing regressive policies.

The session was attended by thousands of people including the Members of AIPC like Dr. Ameeta Sinh, North Zone Coordinator AIPC, Mr. Salman Soz, National Media Panelist for INC and concluded on a positive note with appreciation from the audience and some critical questions posed at the BJP government. This is first of the many series that AIPC will organize across the country, added Mr. Soz.

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